Silo.



H; W. HOLLIS.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. n. 1914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES AQMW COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH $0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

H. W. HOLLIS.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. I914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

HARRY w. HoLms, or cnnnatrs. WASHINGTON.

SILO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed. March 11, 1914. Serial No. 823,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. HoLLrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chehalis, in the county of Lewis and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to silos and the like and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

The particular objects of the invention are the provision of an improved silo-roof of portable construction; improved means for connecting the roof to the walls of the silo to admit of contraction and expansion in the diameter of the latter without affecting the secure connection therebetween; and improved means for securing the integrity of the silo walls and the maintenance of the symmetry of the structure under all adverse conditions, such as swelling and shrinking due to its full or empty condition.

Other improvements will hereinafter appear and are fully described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and finally set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view partly broken away to disclose the internal construction of a silo embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view shown partly in front elevation and partly in vertical cross-section of an embodiment of the roofand wall-connecting devices of my invention. Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation on line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of a detail of my invention.

Referring to said views, the reference numeral 10 designates the circular walls of a silo comprised of vertically arranged wooden staves. Said staves are bound together by exterior hoops, such as 11, secured at intervals by U-bolts 12. Upon the inside of the wall, metal rods 13 are secured thereagainst by said U-bolts. Said rods are each normally of straight material of relatively short lengths such as one-fourth or onethird the inner circumference of the wall and may be arranged to have their respective ends lap, as at 15, so that the curvature of the wall to which said rods are forced to conform, causes them to exert a relatively even tension outwardly upon the wall and upon the expansion or contraction of the walls, they will adjust themselves thereto through their slidable relation due to their overlapping ends. Said roof is comprised of a plurality of detachable segmental sections 16 which are each composed of two radially disposed rafters 17 connecting tiemembers 18, and tongue-and-grooved roof boards 20. Said boards are screwed or otherwise secured in side by side relation on said rafters, so that the longitudinal axis of the several boards will" be parallel to one of the rafters and in angular relation to the other rafter of the respective section. The apex of the roof is formed by a center post 23 provided with a flanged cast metal collar 25 formed with spaced bolt-holes 26 for the reception of bolts to secure the convergent ends of said roof-sections to the post. The ends of the several sections are separated at their upper ends by ribs 24 upon said collar.

27 indicates an annular flashing plate about the post 23. Said sections are disposed radially about said post to afford a roof over said silo whereby the adjoining rafters 17 of the adjacent sections are separated by a space 28. Said space may be covered by a batten 30 connected to the lateral edges of the abutting sections. At the lower ends of said sections positioned in said space is a cast-metal shoe, see Fig. 5, comprised of a vertical web 32 and integral base flanges 83 extending laterally upon each side thereof in horizontal directions. Said web is apertured, as at 35, for the reception of bolts 36 which connect the respective abutting rafters together at their lower ends. Said web is desirably of less thickness than the space 28 in which it is positioned. Said shoe-fianges 33 are adapted to be slidably supported by the upper edge of said side walls and are positioned, desirably, so that said flange will be supported under the normal'condition of the silo at about its mid length. The inner end of each said shoe is formed with an integral stop 34 serving also as a brace connecting said web and said flanges, and is further formed with lugs 39 upon each side of the inner end of said web to afford a seat for the respective rafters. Said flange is engaged in a slot 37 at the upper extremity of a metal strap 38 which prevents lateral and vertical displacement.

If desired, the bottom of said slot'may be above the upper edge of said silo-wall so that the flange 33 will be supported upon said strap. Said strap may extenddown- Wardly upon the interior of the silo where at its lower extremity it may be formed with holes 40 for the passage of U-bolts 12. Said strap is also formed at said extremity with a plate 41 in the same plane but spaced therefrom to afford opportunity for the introduction of rods 13 therebetween and integrally connected by bridge-portions l2.

' The manner in which the parts of the invention are assembled and the operation thereof are believed to be clearly evident from the foregoing. It may be stated, however, that the difiiculties encountered in maintaining. a structure in sound condition in which the walls are subject to the disintegrating effect of repeated extremes of shrinking and swelling, are largely overcome in the present invention. The roof is formed. of segmental sections which are held in relatively rigid condition with allowance for expansion and contraction of the silo without change of pitch. A. supporting shoe-connection with the silo-wall .is provided at the lower ends of said sections that admits of radialmovement of the silo-wall with no essential change in their operative relation. Such connection is further under restraint from lifting and lateral disruptive forces by the provision of the slot 37 in strap 38. The silo-wall is further provided with rod devices 13 positioned and secured in such manner that the wall will not recede' inwardly to any considerable or dangerous extent as said rods'are arranged to exert a resiliency yielding pressure radially outward upon the several staves of the silo-wall which tend to urge said staves into engagement with the hoops 11 and upon the shrinking of the staves, their edges will separate somewhat but they will be retained in operative alinement.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is

'1. In a silo having circular walls, a roof therefor comprising a plurality of segmental sections in radial arrangement, each said section comprisinglateral converging rafters, and roof-boards arranged in side by side relation whereby the axis of said boards are rafters extending in substantially radial directions, the rafters of adjoining sections being spaced apart, and a metal shoe secured to the lower portion of said roof between the respective sections arranged to slidably support the roof upon said wall.

a 3. In a silo having a circular wall, a roof therefor comprising a plurality of segmental sections, each said section having lateral rafters extending in substantially radial directions, the rafters of adjoining sections being spaced apart, and a metal shoe secured to the lower portion of said roof between the respective sections arranged to slidably sup port the roof upon said wall, and means upon said wall to secure said shoes from lateral and vertical displacement.

l. In a silo, in combination with the cylindrical walls and a circular roof, of connecting devices therefor consisting in a pluimeter of said roof each having a vertically disposed web secured to a rafter of the roof and integral horizontally arranged base flanges extending laterally from the lower edge of said web, said flanges being slidabiy engaged upon the upper edge of the silo walls, and means upon said walls for securing said shoes in operative positions.

5. In a silo, in combination with the cylindrical walls and a circular roof, of connecting devices therefor consisting in a plurality of metal shoes spaced about the perimeter of said roof each having a vertically disposed web secured to a rafter of the roof and integral horizontally arranged base flanges extending laterally from the lower edge of said web, said flanges being slidably engaged upon the upper edge of the silo walls, and a plurality of straps secured to and extending above said walls wherein said shoes are slidably engaged.

Signed at Seattle, VVaslL, this 27th day of Feb, 1914..

HARRY W. HOLLlS.

Witnesses:

E. PETEnsoN, HORACE BARNES.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

